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Now, Patanjali is talking of the last stage in
the Ashtanga Yoga. Samadhi is mentioned by him as a single constituent of the
8-part yoga. But,Samaadhi itself has
two distinct phases, though they are not taken as two different parts of Ashtanga Yoga.

Through Dharana and Dhyanam, Sadhaka enters into
Samadhi in which he becomes one with the object of Dharana. Now, the Object and
the Sadhaka are not two different things, but are one single entity. The object
gives out all of its innermost secrets to Sadhaka in this Samadhi itself.

This Samadhi was dealt with in Samadhi paadha in
vs.1.42 onwards up to Vs.1.50. Initially, in this Samadhi, the sabda, artha and
jnana are all together. Sabda means the wave that the object creates in the Chittha.
Artha refers to the innermost secrets of the object. Jnana refers to what the
Chittha perceives. All these are available to Sadhaka in this Samaadhi. It is
called Savitharka Samadhi.

Next comes Nirvitharka Samadhi – in which Sabda and Roopa
both become absent. Only the artha is present. These Samadhis can again be
either Savichara or Nirvichara. All these are beyond common human logic. What
happens in them do not needproof. The
Sadhaka gets their prajna ( wisdom, which is much beyond ordinary scientific or
logical knowledge) in the Samadhi state.
While Patanjali mentions different Names for different phases of the Sabeeja samaadhi
– they actually happen at different points of time – in Dhyanam, and hence are
a continuum.

In Sabeeja Samaadhi, for all practical purposes, Sadhaka
has become one with the object of Dharana and Dhyanam. While all other Samskaras
become absent, one samskara, of, the “I” the receiver of this Prajna, is still present in Sabeeja Samaadhi. The oneness
with the object does not erase this one Samaskara completely.

But, soon, the Sadhaka attains also, to NIRBEEJA
SAMAADHI, or the SEEDLESS Samadhi State, in which all samskaras including the
last “I” Samskara also dissolves totally. The Chittha is now totally absent.

This means - that Dharana, Dhyanam and Samadhi,
though internal compared to the first five constituents of Yoga, also become
external to the Sadhaka once the Nirbeeja Samadhi is attained.

Verse.3.9

vyutthaana
nirodha samskaarayoh

abhibhava
pradurbhaavou

nirodhah kshana
chitta anvayah

nirodhah-parinamah

Øvyutthaana = the arising of

Ønirodha = restraining

Øsamskaarayoh = subtle,deeply ingrained
impressions and habits

Øabhibhava = not appearing; disappearing

Øpraadurbhavou = appearing again

Ønirodhah = restraining

Økshana = moment

Øchittha = of Chittha or the mind-field

Øanvayah = associated or connected with

Ønirodhah = restraint or mastery

Øparinaamah = Consequence or effect

Nirodha
parinama is a particular condition which the chittha experiences or becomes associated
with – when on one side, the deep impressions or samskaras are disappearing and
some are re-appearing – but are again getting restrained – and the chittha is
active in the moments of restraining the samskaras as they appear, disappear
and re-appear.

The Samskaras
are not staying in Chittha because of the restraining. But, some are
re-appearing. But, there is a gap, which occurs between the restraining and
re-appearing.

In
other words, Sadhaka is now an active, conscious witness of the thought
processes and is capable of restraining the deep impressions as they appear. But,
they do tend to re-appear with some gap. Again, they are restrained. All these
happen by watching them consciously, which weakens them and make them disappear.

In
between the Nirodha parinama, gaps which appear are akin to Samadhi, in which
the Chittha has no thoughts at all. These are of course small gaps initially.

Initially,
the Sadhaka is watching the thoughts or the Samskaras; but, now, he can shift
to watching these gaps between the thoughts or Samskaras. This is the
significant step needed.

Nirodh
parinama is thus, when the mind dwells on the gaps between the disappearance of
one samskara and reappearance of another. The thoughts don’t matter. The
samaskaras do not interest the chittha any more.. Therefore, their disappearance
is much faster, but their re-appearance becomes much slower; the gaps between
them become longer and longer.

The
gaps give the Sadhaka his Samadhi experience. The gap is the bliss. The gap is
the sadhaka’s reality, while the samskaras are his acquired traits, which
masquerade as his reality all his life.

Verse.3.10

thasya prashaantha vaahithaa samskaraath

Øthasya
= In that (mind frame)

Øprashaanta
= peaceful, calm

Øvaahithaa
= flowing

Øsamskaaraath
= subtle impressions, deepest imprinted habits

Initially,
the gaps are small (between any 2 thoughts), but as the Sadhaka focuses
attention on the gaps leaving out the Samskaras, the gaps become longer and
longer and the gap becomes a flow, instead of the thoughts being a flow.

At this
stage, the mind has no more (thought) waves. All waves die down. A serene tranquility reigns; the gap is now a long flow; this is the nirbeeja Samaadhi; This tranquility is the finest accomplishment of Samyama.

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